


You're alive

by AugmentedBeauty



Series: Adam Jensen x Alexandra Montgomery oneshots [8]
Category: Deus Ex (Video Games), Deus Ex: Black Light - James Swallow
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:29:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26991415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AugmentedBeauty/pseuds/AugmentedBeauty
Summary: AU where things go a bit differently and Adam and Alex end up being together back in Detroit already. After being legally dead for a year, Adam has to come back to Detroit, seeking help. Here, he's reunited with Alexandra, who never really lost hope and is ready to fight by his side.
Relationships: Adam Jensen/Alexandra Montgomery, Adam Jensen/Original Female Character(s), Francis Pritchard & Alexandra Montgomery, Francis Pritchard & Original Female Character(s)
Series: Adam Jensen x Alexandra Montgomery oneshots [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1402513
Kudos: 3





	You're alive

**Author's Note:**

> A little disclaimer to avoid misunderstandings: Stacks is present and mentioned more than once, but not more than that.

I'm already tired of my shift for today, and I'm far from done. I'm sick of paperwork and awful patrolling. Never in my career, I've found myself checking out the time, hoping for my shift to be over as soon as possible. After coming back to service some months ago though, that changed. Since I came back to work after the incident, most of my colleagues have been looking at me differently, like I was a walking weapon that could end them at any given moment. Many have turned their backs at me, and for what? For a brand new augmented arm. All of a sudden, I can't be trusted. Only the persistent buzzing of my mobile drags me away from my frustration and has me raising a brow. Pritchard's calling me, which is something he never does while I'm working. He eventually messages me but never rings when I'm on duty. Must be something important, so I pick up without giving a damn. 

"Hey hermano, what's up? Is everything all right?"

"You could say so." he takes a brief pause, probably pondering his words. "You were right about not losing your hope. Adam is alive, and back in town, too."

I freeze, not sure if this is real life or just a dream. "Is...is this for real?" I'm really trying not to squeal like a madwoman out of nowhere, but my happiness and excitement are evident in my voice.

"Would I lie to you?" a rhetorical question, just to try at sounding pissed, but I can hear his light smile. "I'll admit I didn't believe it at first, but it's true. Jensen contacted me out of the blue, and the only thing that I got clearly is that he's in trouble, again. Actually, I'm not even sure he wants me to tell you, but I'm doing this anyway. Sure, he probably just wants to keep you safe and out of this mess, but you deserve to know." 

"W-what the hell is going on, Frank? It's been a whole, fucking year, man."

"He found himself in some sort of facility. He was pulled out of the ocean after the explosion of Panchaea and put in there to recover. Something's off, considering he never was identified and his escape from there. Apparently, someone's looking for him. We'll get some explanations once you get to my place though, let's say...an hour from now, more or less, if that's fine for you. We, uhu, have an issue to fix in the meantime."

"Of course it is, I'll just call the rest of the day off for some sort of emergency. It's not even a complete lie, actually."

"Fine. I'll see you in an hour, then."

"Be careful out there."

We end the call, and I end up staring at nothing in particular for a good minute. I'm completely speechless, I can barely believe what Frank just told me. I can't even cry or anything, I'm in pure disbelief. I can't focus on my paperwork anymore, so I just figure out what to do and how to do it. It won't take long to reach Pritchard's place, which used to be Rialto movie theatre, especially on my motorbike, but he doesn't really live in the safest area of the city. There's no way I'm gonna park there, I'd like to still have my bike in one piece at the end of the day, and to have it at all. Guess I'll park somewhere safe and then walk the rest of the way, very carefully. Sure, I'm armed and everything, but I rather not get into trouble, especially not today. Calling the rest of the day off might take a while, though, so I better get moving, even if it's early. I take my stuff and leave, getting to my superior's office to work my magic.

"What is it, Montgomery?"

"I'm afraid I'll need to call the rest of the day out, sir."

"Why's that?" he inquires, pissed.

"Family emergency, sir. I still don't know much about it, but it's definitely urgent, and...I rather know more about it."

My words, and the way I told him this, seem to change everything. Sometimes, being a good cop also means to be able to trick people and be a flawless liar. But again, it's a half-lie, after all. Harshness melts away from his features to be replaced by a more understanding expression. "Of course, of course. You can leave. I hope it will turn out to be all right, whatever it is."

"Thanks, sir. Have a nice day."

There was a time when my politeness towards colleagues and superiors was totally sincere and genuine. That, too, has changed. It's only a way to survive and avoid trouble by now. Patience runs out at times, though, and that brings out nothing nice. Wayne Haas is going to get a taste of this, once again. He mumbles something out, something about me and related to the early end of my shift for today. I don't even try to get what he's saying, I just glare at him as I walk past his working station, and it successfully sends a message. I heard you, and I'm in no mood to be nice to you. He rarely has the guts to put up a fight with me, he learnt how useless it is the hard way. Today is no exception to this unwritten rule. I walk a bit faster once I'm outside, finally reaching for my motorbike. I find myself pondering, unsure about what to do. I put my bag in the trunk, hang my helmet on the handlebar and get on the saddle without retracting the prop stand yet. Should I call someone of my relatives and let them know what's going on? Mum and dad would be ecstatic to know that Adam is still alive, as well as Isabelle. But what if they ask for explanations, or to see him? I couldn't give them any answer nor assure their safety. I better not let them know yet. On the other hand, I can't just leave my purse like that, it not safe, and I can't carry it with me either. Isabelle could be of help: she's in a secure area of the city right now, close enough to my destination. I pick a place to meet her and send her a text. I'll be there from five to ten minutes. As my doubt is resolved, I get ready and leave the police station, driving through the streets of this hellish city for very few miles before parking. Traffic didn't really help, so it's not like I'm early anymore. Isabelle is already there, which is perfect. 

"Alex, what are you up to? There's no reason to give me your purse if you're not getting into trouble."

"I need to pay a visit to Frank. It's all right chica, I just want to be careful. You know how shady that neighbourhood is."

"Reason why he doesn't want you to drop by unless it's important."

"Don't worry, he's not in trouble, and I'm not either...but it's complicated. I'll explain everything when I can. Just so you know, I only have my mobile and my documents on me, and I'm armed. Service gun and badge are well hidden, just in case, but I'm sure I won't need them."

"That's a lot for someone who just told me not to worry." she teases, and I can't hold back an amused smirk.

"I just want to be cautious, but trust me, I'm sure I won't need to use any of this. Oh, could you also please not mention this whole thing to mum and dad? I don't want them to get worried for no reason."

"Sure, but still...be careful."

"Thanks, and of course. I have many reasons to come back home safe and sound. See you later, I hope." 

As I walk to reach Frank's place, my heart beats fast in my chest, and not out of fear or tiredness. The excitement is becoming almost unbearable. Only a few minutes walk keeps me away from seeing Adam again after a painfully long year of uncertainty. I have to be careful, though, if Motor City Bangers discover Frank has a friend in the police, things might take a dramatic turn for him. A hint of sadness hits me hard every time I need to get to this area of the city. How low Detroit has sunk, how hard is the life of those who live there...Pritchard is lucky enough to have a roof on his head, even if it's not that great, but he still has the local gang breathing on his neck. Stubborn as a mule, he turned down every sort of offer of help that came from my family or me. Yet, I'm not going to surrender that easily. Sooner or later, one way or another, I'll convince him to put pride aside, or I'll let him see how he deserves so much better. Frank can't go on like this, it's too dangerous, and all the precautions I need to take are just one of the many proofs. 

I can spot the entrance by now, and I send him a quick I'm getting in as I get closer, walking in the miraculously clear area at a fast pace. Once inside, I exhale heavily, the worse has passed. I make sure Frank has at least seen the message before slowly making my way to his living space. I overhear an unfamiliar voice saying something to him, but Pritchard's nasal one follows right after. He speaks in his usual tone, letting me understand everything is alright, that the stranger is welcome here, or at least not a threat. 

"We should wait in another room." he politely suggests to the stranger, or so I guess, but I can tell his patience is almost running out.

"Who the hell is coming there, Pritchard? I asked you not to call anyone else for a reason." That's Adam's voice. I feel like my heart has just skipped a beat at the sound. Frank has decided to keep my arrival a surprise, and I'm not complaining. 

The hacker gives no answer to him, and I can hear my pissed off boyfriend sigh deeply at his behaviour, as well as two pair of footsteps leaving this room. I figure out I better stop playing the stealthy card and let Adam figure out someone is coming in, it's not like I wanna startle him. As soon as I walk over the doorstep, his body language changes in a millisecond. At first, his back is tensed, arms crossed in frustration, and you can tell he's troubled and pissed off. Then, he turns, brows furrowed, but he melts in a heartbeat. His expression gets softer, and his eye-shields retract, showing all his emotions all together: disbelief, happiness, pure love. He doesn't even have the time to say my name or anything else, just like I barely take in his appearance. I'm already throwing myself in his arms, literally, and he's already steading himself to let me do so and pick me up. My legs lock around his waist with a bit of help from him, his hands pulling me up a bit to line our faces perfectly. Meanwhile, my own hands go from his shoulders to his perfect face and neck. Our lips collide in a desperate kiss, so much that our bodies curve into each others', fitting like puzzle pieces, keeping each other as close as physically possible. We move in sync, kissing each other like it was our last chance to do so, or like our lives depended on this. The only reason for us to break the kiss is the lack of oxygen, which is, I fear, mostly my problem. 

A comfortable silence falls between us. We just stand there, taking each other's features in. Adam doesn't even put me down. I already was light as a feather for him to pick up before getting his augs, so it's even easier for him now. My hands move to cup his face, softly caressing his cheek with my left thumb, as I scan every inch. His beard is a bit longer than usual, and his hair will definitely need a cut, but he's mainly the same that left this city one year ago. Unlike that day, though, he looks less stressed, but that's probably gonna change soon. As Frank told me, he's in trouble again after all. His eyes are staring at me in awe, and I notice his lips curving up in a smile. I almost forgot how it looked like and missed it dearly, as the months before his disappearance haven't been gentle with him, and it's enough to have my eyes getting teary. Realisation is hitting me hard all of a sudden, and I can't even put words together. 

Adam breaks the silence, and even if it's meant to be a compliment thrown at me with confidence, I can still feel how emotional he is right now. "Love the haircut."

He steals a heartfelt giggle from me and a smile, but all this mix of emotions melts into tears. Happiness, disbelief and relief hit hard now that I'm absolutely sure this is no dream, that it's all real. He decides to put me down, only to be able to hold my face in his hands so gently and comfort me properly. In the process, I moved my hands to his chest out of instinct, and I keep them there, feeling how his upper body slowly rises and falls as he breathes, and his heartbeat. A gloomy shadow lurks over as my mind reminds me about one thing harshly and suddenly: Adam is seeing my augmented arm for the first time. For some reason, I get self-conscious about this, and I try to move my right hand away from him, ashamed, breaking eye-contact as I do. His carbon-black hand grabs my white wrist carefully and gently, guiding me into my previous posture. He doesn't let go immediately, and a soft brush of his thumb on my cheek encourages me to look at him again. Meanwhile, tears have slowly died down, and I'm left with puffy eyes.

Adam's voice is soft and soothing, part of me feels silly about my behaviour. "It's ok Maribel, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. There's no rush to tell me what happened. If and when you'll want to talk about this, I'll be ready to listen. Either way, a bunch of augs can't change what's underneath."

I recognize my own words. I said that last sentence a lot while he was recovering and I helped him out of his hard downs. Another smile forms naturally on my face, followed by a soft sniffle. How many times I've yearned for his gentle words during the last year..."I missed you." I whisper, voice a bit coarse from crying.

In a heartbeat, Adam pulls me even closer to him, hugging my shorter form, and keeping me as close as he can. He needs this badly, and he's not the only one. His voice is loud enough for us, and us only, to hear. "I missed you, too, so fucking much." He falls silent for a while, enjoying the moment. Adam kisses the top of my head and breaths me in, only to mumble a series of praises against my hair. His words get sadder after a while, though. Again, he's barely audible. "I thought...I thought you wouldn't have waited for me. I mean, I'm not saying that I didn't believe in your loyalty anymore, but-"

"I get what you're trying to say, and that's why I'm stopping you right there." Still in his embrace, I move my head a little to look at him. "Something about how things went, about what we were told after the incident, had me thinking you might have been still alive. I can't even explain it fully. I began scheming like the cop that I am, putting all facts and pieces of evidence together. Long story short, everything made me think about trouble, not death. So yeah, I didn't really have a reason to move on yet. And anyway, you shouldn't be too surprised, cariño. You're worth the wait, Adam. You're one of the most precious people I've met in my entire life, you have a heart of gold. You're one of the few I trust with my life, that has made me so happy. And you're my naupaka flower, my other half. A year is not enough to move on from someone like you. Hell, maybe even a lifetime wouldn't be enough."

Adam is speechless, blindsided, moved. I can feel it in the way his heartbeat changes, getting slightly faster, as if he was falling in love all over again. "What did I do to deserve you?" he asks to himself all of a sudden.

"Do you have time for an extra-long TedTalk about it? 'Cause I sure as hell can provide that."

My joke successfully lighted up the mood, making him laugh softly. And I'm, too, falling in love all over again. His beautiful laugh was also missed dearly, I've been yearning to hear it again. We share yet another sweet, brief kiss before he speaks up again, getting more pragmatical. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but this beautiful reunion is not the only reason that brings you here."

"Definitely not. You're worth the fight as well, and I can't wait to kick in the ass whoever kidnapped you for a whole fucking year anyway." With a brief glance towards the other room, I catch the unknown man that got here with him checking on us as discretely as he can, but failing horribly. I'm going to keep his secret, though. "So, how about you two fugitives explain everything to Pritchard and me, and then we figure out what to do all together?" I suggest, puppy-eyeing him.

Adam just nods, defeated. This trick will always work on him. First of all, Adam introduces me to his new companion, Stacks, who helped him escape facility 451 in Alaska. Then, he starts explaining everything. He woke up after a coma and got interrogated by a certain Jenna Thorne. She presented herself as a government agent and asked about what happened in Panchaea. Adam immediately got suspicious, and I can't blame him, especially considering how they identified him but never declared he was alive. Our point of view on things obviously confirm his suspects. Sarif told him about how the Illuminati might have been involved in the whole mess he had to go through during last year. At this point, we can all only think Thorne must be linked to them if not one of them. Things were looking grimmer and grimmer by the minute, so Adam and Stacks decided to escape. They really did treat them as fugitives, and their only hope was to get as far from Alaska as possible. Frank was their only hope. Detroit is not welcoming, but it was the only place where he knew he might still have had at least a friend. After Pritchard's call, they went to search for some Nupoz for Stacks, and here we are. Pritchard then reveals what he had previously told Adam before I got there. He noticed an organized pattern raiding, meaning that something might be going on back at ex Sarif facilities. There's only one thing to do about it. We need to get to Milwaukee Junction and investigate the area. Military-grade prototypes usually ended up there, and stuff like that just can't fall into the wrong hands.


End file.
